Summary: Joseph was a man who had many things go against him. Some of these were his own doing, some were from the Adversary, and some were the testing of God. As a result of Joseph's faithfulness, the nation of Israel and line of Jesus were preserved.

Years ago there was a TV show called The Honeymooners. Art Carney played one of the characters on the show, Ed Norton - a kind of happy go lucky, but fairly slow thinking worker in the sewer systems of the city. Ed Norton once summed up his philosophy of life with these words:

When the tides of life turn against you

And the current upsets your boat

Don’t waste those tears on what might have been

Just lie on your back and float.

• Joseph was a man who repeatedly who saw the tides of life turn against him. His boat was upset more than once. His difficulties would have crippled the faith of a lesser man. BUT, he didn’t sink and he didn’t even float. He overcame AND he rose above the waves of adversity. He overcame these difficulties because of his “philosophy of life” - a philosophy of life was nobler and wiser than that of Ed Norton.

• There is more space devoted to Joseph in the book of Genesis than Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob

• God does not speak against him at any point – even though he was imperfect (great encouragement in our Quest for God; we do not have to be perfect, just pursuing Him)

5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field.

2. Prison Warden (39.21-23)

a. In Charge of Prisoners

b. Trustee

3. Pharaoh (41.38-46)

a. At age 30 Treated as a Prince in Egypt

b. Second in command over the land

A dog chased a duck into a pond. The duck led the dog around the pond, tiring him out. When the dog lunged at the duck, the duck dove under the water. The dog looked around for the duck but could not find him. Then he realized how far from shore he was and swam back, exhausted. On common ground, the dog is stronger than the duck, but not in his territory. Joseph could not play Satan’s game in Satan’s territory. He had to rely on God’s strength to get him through his journey.

II. Joseph Endured Fighting

A. Joseph Started Off with (Over) Confidence

It’s kind of like one cartoon I read that showed a smiling man walking out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to the heal of his shoe - and the caption read: “Confidence is what you have before you understand the situation.”

Joseph was a man who had many things go against him. Some of these were his own doing, some were from the Adversary, and some were the testing of God. As a result of Joseph's faithfulness, the nation of Israel and line of Jesus were preserved.

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